Best Time to Stretch – Explained by Personal Trainer in Washington Township

Home/Best Time to Stretch – Explained by Personal Trainer in Washington Township

Best Time to Stretch – Explained by Personal Trainer in Washington TownshipTotal Health Systems2018-12-18T15:43:14-04:00

Best Time to Stretch – Explained by Personal Trainer in Washington Township

Our priority at Total Health Systems is to treat any health problems that our clients have when they come to us. We help them with making life improvements and encourage their health in an attempt to stop the same issues from returning in the future. Working out is a great way to stay healthy, together with the other services we offer (nutrition, massage and chiropractic adjustments).

There is a common belief among a number of our patients that a lot of stretching before exercise is important and can even be thought of as your warm up. Yet, contrary to this thought, investing an excess length of time stretching before you start to exercise can really put you at a disadvantage.

Here’s why:

What does it really mean to warm up? When we warm up, we are preparing our bodies for the exercise or strenuous activity that we’re about to do. A good warm up has its rewards such as:

Muscles get warm and the body temperature increases – this will help to improve the supply of oxygen to the body.

Blood flow to the muscles is enhanced making contraction and rest of muscles happen more rapidly.

Prepares the mind and body for a more physically demanding activity.

Aides in the risk reduction for injuries.

Overall exercise performance is enhanced.

The elasticity of tendons, ligaments and other connective tissues is improved.

Full range of motion of the joints that might be used for the exercise or activity.

High intensity movements in short bursts.

Ballistic stretching for activation of neural pathways and muscles – readying the muscles for the exercise/activity without making modifications to the length of the muscle.

Stretching targets increasing the range of motion of muscles by elongating them and the connective tissue. Stretching is just as essential as strength, endurance and coordination training and should be developed in an organized exercise program.

The most widely used form of stretching is called static stretching. A static stretch will not stimulate receptors in our muscles that induce contraction because there are no abrupt movements. This allows the muscles to elongate and achieve a permanent change in the length of the muscle.

The optimum time to perform a stretching routine is when the muscles are already warm because they are more pliable. Performing stretching without the proper warm up will only increase the temperature of the muscle being stretched. It was discovered that stretching can lessen the ability of a muscle to contract for as long as an hour after and this indicates how stretching before exercise or physical activity can adversely impact performance.

Best Time to Stretch – Explained by Personal Trainer in Washington Township

At Total Health Systems, we recognize the need for patient education and we provide articles, just like this one, to aid in education. If you have any further questions regarding stretching or want to schedule an appointment, please call one of our three locations or visit our website: totalhealthsystems.com

Best Time to Stretch – Explained by Personal Trainer in Washington Township